A bulk container, such as a pallet bin, is used to store and ship goods of liquid, solid, and granular materials. A typical pallet bin is constructed of plywood panels with a built-in pallet base. The pallet bin is generally of all wood construction including a wood bottom panel screwed or nailed to a conventional wooden pallet. Plywood side and end panels are held together using corner angle and placed atop the bottom panel and are secured using retaining brackets. A plywood top can be placed atop the side and end panels. A plastic liner is placed inside the bin to prevent the product from coming into direct contact with the wood panels. Such a bin typically has a three hundred gallon capacity.
In use, a large plastic aseptic bag is placed in the bin and sealed. The bag may include a food product such as a puree from fruits or vegetables. The bin acts as a skeleton to transport the processed food. When the bag is empty it is thrown away. Typically, the pallet bins are collapsible as by breaking down the top cover and the side and end walls and stacking them on the bottom panel. The bin can then be shipped back to the supplier. Such use typically also requires use of banding for supporting the wood panels. Without the banding, the wood panels might not hold the product. Also, wood splinters and improperly placed nails can destroy the bags. Moreover, after repeated nailing, the wood panels become weaker and therefore must be disposed of. This contributes to the escalating problem of waste disposal.
More recently, pallet bins have been constructed principally of plastic. These bins typically utilize interlocking structure for holding the various components together. However, due to the need for strength, while limiting weight, plastic pallet bins typically incorporate structures having numerous voids. However, dirt, insects and rodents could gather in such voids. This could render the products undesirable for use in the food industry.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems discussed above in a novel and simple manner.